Bobbin clutch



Nov. 8, 1949 R. c. HARE BoBBIN CLUTCH Filed oct. 9, 1946 Patented Nov. 8, 1949 ICE BOBBlN CLUTCH Richard C. Hare, Grafton, Mass., assignor to Whitin Machine Works, Whitinsville, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 9, 1946, Serial No. 702,271

1 Claim.

This invention relates to spindles used on spinning or twisting machines, and more particularly to clutches for driving bobbins mounted on such spindles.

It has been Aheretofore customary to prov1de a bobbin clutch for such purposes in which a plurality of spring fingers wereloosely mounted within a slotted bushing or shell and pressed outwardly to engage and drive the bobbin, the driving pressure of the fingers being increased by centrifugal force when the spindle was rapidly rotated. The driving whirl on the spindle was sometimes displaced downwardly when a fresh bobbin was too forcibly applied, thus separating the whirl from the slotted bushing and allowing the clutch parts to separate and to admit dust or lint.

It is the general object of my present invention to provide an improved bushing construction by which the objection above noted is effectively avoided.

More specifically, I provide a unit construction in which the spring finger assembly is positively and permanently secured within the slotted bushing and is supported onV the spindle entirely independent of the driving whirl.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

Preferred forms of the invention are shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation of a spindle with my improved bobbin clutch shown in section along the line I-I in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

, Fig. 3 is a sectional front elevation of the slotted bushing, taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the springiinger assembly; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view of certain parts shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown a spindle blade I0 having a driving whirl II forced thereon, and I have shown my improved bobbin clutch as comprising a bushing I2 and a plurality of spring ngers I4. The spring lngers I4 are preferably formed as a one-piece spring linger assembly, as shown in Fig. 4, with the lower ends of the spring lingers I4 joined b y connecting portions I5.

The bushing I2 (Fig. 3) comprises a cap or head portion 20. a plurality of depending portions 2| separated by slots 22, and a continuous annular bottom flange 25 to which the lower ends of all of the portions 2| are secured. Preferably, the entire bushing I2 is formed as a. single piece of material.

After the bushing and spring fingers are assembled, the inner bottom edge of the bottom flange 2i of the bushing I2 is rolled or swedged as indicated at 3| in 5 to hold these parts assembled with the top edge |5a of the connecting portion I5 engaging the lower ends 2|a of the depending portions 2| of the bushing l2. The connecting portion I5 of the spring nger assembly is thus securely anchored to the bushing I2.

The bottom flange 25 oi the bushing I2 is received in a recess 30 in the upper end of the whirl II 'but is preferably a loose lit therein, while the head I2 is a drive t on the blade I0.

The slotted bushing I2 and the spring ngers I4 thus form a permanently assembled bobbindriving unit which is separately mounted on the spindle blade IU and which remains thus assembled even if the Vspindle whirl .is downwardly displaced. The unit construction also facilitates spindle assembly and holds the spring assembly more positively in the desired position on the spindle blade.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claim, but what I claim is:

In a spindle having a blade and a driving whirl mounted thereon, a bobbin clutch comprising a one-piece bushing having a head xed on said blade and a continuous annular bottom flange positioned adjacent the upper part of said driving whirl but free therefrom and having a slotted body portion connecting said head and flange, and a separate spring finger assembly comprising an annular bottom iiange enclosed by the bottom flange of said bushing and'a plurality of spring fingers extending freely upward from said bottom ange and positioned in the slots of said body portion, and the lower inner corner portion of said bottom bushing flange being inwardly displaced to secure said bushing and said spring nger assembly together to form a permanent unit and to prevent longitudinal displacement of said spring fingers relative to said bushing.

RICHARD C. HARE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Mar. 16, 1904l 

